Lubricated valve



July`l3, 1937- w. M ccAusLAND E-r AL 2,086,725

` LUBHICATED VALVE Filed April 8, 1931 bai IN V EN TORJ ////-l/JW MM Q A 4 f v ATTORNEY.

Patented `ully '13, 1937 UNITED STATES PAT ENT o-FFlIcE LUBRICATED VALVE Application April 8', 1931, Serial No. 528,566

18 Claims.

'I'he present invention relates to valves of the type having means for introducing lubricant be tween theseating surfaces thereof vand has for anobjectto provide automatic means for forc- :i ing lubricant between said surfaces whenever the valve is operated. y

The generic invention of self-lubricated valves is covered in a copending application SerialNo. 528,565, filed April 8, 1931, which applicationl coversspecically valves of the rotary plug type.

'I'he present invention has for an'object to provide a novel form of lubricantforcing means. f

A more specific object is to provide automatic lubricant forcing means for valves in which the closure member is bodily displaced instead oi being rotated to open and close the iluid passage of the valve.

our present invention win be foune particular ly adaptable for `use with gate valvesto provide a seal between the gate and its seat and also to overcome binding of the gate in its seat and has l for an objectto provide a structu common operating means may be employed for raising and lowering the gate and for forcing lubricant to the seat whereby lubricant will be automatically forced tothe seat when" the gate isoperated.VV L

Another( object is to providesuch connection between the operating means and the gate that the lubricant maybe forced to the seating surface while the gate remains closed.

In-a copending application Serial No. 528,568, filed April 8, 1931, we disclose a gate valve which carries out the above named objects. .However, the presentinvention' differs therefrom in providing -a lubricant forcing means which, while automatically operable by the means lwith which the gate is raised 'and lowered,- cannot be operated except when the gate is actually or substan' tially seated so that there is no danger of forcing lubricant into .the valve when the valve is open. s

0ther obj" ts and advantages lof the present invention willappear in the following description of certain embodiments and thereafter the novelty and s cope of theinvention will be pointed out-in the claims.

In the -accompanyingdrawing' Fig. 1 is a; view' in v erticalgsection of valve embodying our invention;

Mgr? is a. view in section t ken on the line 2-201Figs1w ,if A

Fig. 3'is a dem an enlarged scale'of the pump portion of Fig'. 1; r

a gat@ v55' Fig. 4 is a development of acam showingv sucin whichy a cessive' positions of a pump plunger operated thereby; and v f Fig. 5 is a fragmental detail view of aY modied connection between the gate and its stem.

The valve shown in the drawing is of the type 5 in whicl lubricant is fed through the valve stem to the seating surfaces of the gate and the construction of the valve body and gate is substantially the same as that described in our copendingapplication Serial No. 528,567, flled .10 April 8, 1931, and now Patent. No. 2,032,882, granted March 3, 1936. The'valve comprises a body I0 to which is secured a bonnet II. 'Ihe body portion is'formed with a central chamber I2 closed by the bonnet. Into the chamberI I2 lead a pair of opposed and alined uid passages I3, and in the chamber at the mouth of each of said passages there is a threaded recess to re-v ceive a seat ring Il. These seat rings lare disposed at 'an acute 'angle to each other to rec'eive a wedge type gate I6 formed with annular seat-4 ing faces adapted to seat upon the' seat rings. Y The wedge I5 is formed with a chamberv I6 from which ducts I I lead to the seating faces of the wedge. A hollow valve stem I 8 ,is provided with a lsquared or angular head I9 which engages a slot 20 formed in the upperv end of the gate. Cheek pieces 2| overlap'the head, thereby providing an. operative connection between the stern and the wedge. Owing to the fact that 30 kthe head is squared, it cannot rotate with restem and at its lower end is secured toa bushing 23 fastened in the mouth 24 of the-chamber I6. 'I'he upper end of the tube 22 is flared, asbest shown in Fig. 3, and is clamped against a flared shoulder in the stem by means of a 'set screw2l. This set screw is formed with a central bore 26, whereby communication with the chamber I6 is had through the set screw 26 and flexible tube 22. The latter is. sufficiently flexible to al low for the play of the head I9 with respect to the wedge I5. The bonnet II is formed with therusual'stuil'- ing box 2F through which `the stem' I8 Mounted on the bonnet and bolted is a bracket 28 provided at its upper end with a thrust plate 2 9 against which a nut may bear. This nut is held to the thrust plate 26 by a flanged retaining ring 3| overlapping a flange 5S 32 formed on the nut, but the latter may be a1 lowed a certain amount of play between the plate 29 and the ring 3|. The nut is threaded upon the stem IB so that by turning the nut the Wedge may be raised and lowered. A hand wheel 33 is keyed to the nut to facilitate turning the' same.

Secured to the upper end of the nut, above the hand wheel 33, is a face cam 34 which, as will be explained presently, controls the operation of a pump by means of which lubricant is forced into the gate chamber I6. This cam is formed with three swells 34a (see Fig. 4) located 120 degrees apart.

The casing 35 of the pump is screwedupon the upper end of the stem I8 and is held against turning with respect to the stem by-means of a set screw 36. The latter engages a squared portion of the stem I 8, providing means for locking the pump casing at any desired vertical adjustment with respect to the stem.

The upper end of the pump casing 35 is formed in the shape of a cup to provide a reservoir 38 `for lubricant. The cup is closed by. a cap 39 screwed thereon andsecured at the desired adjustment by a locknut 4l. A hollow stem 4I passes through the cap and provides an intake pipe through which lubricant may be introduced into the chamber 38. Within the stem 4I is a check valve 42 opening toward the reservoir. A plunger 43 is mounted to slide on the stem 4I and is provided with a cup leather 44 which fits the cup 38. .A spring 45 bearing between the plunger 43 and the cap 39 tends to maintain pressure upon the lubricant in the chamber 38. A pin 46 rising from the oor of the cup limits the extent to which the plunger nmay be pressed into the reservoir.

The pump casing 35 is provided with three Vertical bores or working chambers 48 in which slidey three plungers 49. Each plunger is urged downwardly by a spring 50 but is limited in its downward movement by a set screw 5I engaging a slot 52 in the plunger. The lower end of each plunger 49 is formed with a rounded head 53 adapted to engage the cam 34. The upper end of each working chamber 48 is provided with an intake port 54 leading from the reservoir 38 and with a check valvev 55 in the port, opening awayv from the reservoir. Each working chamber also has an outlet port 56 nearlts upper end extending laterally into a central chamber 51, and a check valve 58 is provided in each of said outlet ports, opening toward the chamber 51. The set screw 25 carries a cup leather 59 adapted to fit the sidewalls of the chamber 51 so as to prevent leakage of lubricant from said chamber pastthe setscrew 26 and to the outside of the stem I8.

The operation of the pump is as follows: Assuming that the wedge I 5is seated in the seat rings I4 and that the parts are in the position shown in Fig.*1, to open the valve the hand wheel 33 is turned `and when so doing the cam 34 will strike the heads 53. of the plungers 49. Owingto the lost motion between the head I9 and the wedge, as twell as the play of the nut: and the back lash in the threads connecting the nut and stem, the hand wheel may be given a full turn or more before any lifting action will take place and during this rotation of the hand wheel the plungers 49 will be. raised by thecam swells and lowered .by thesprings 50. 'I'his will cause lubricantto.

be drawn from the reservoir 38 and be forced -into the stem chamber 51, thereby building up pressure in the chamber I6 of the wedge to force lubricant between the seating surfaces of the valve. If the valve isf/,very tightly held, it may be necessary to oscillate the hand wheel back and forth several times in Aorder to build up sufficient pressure to force the wedge oilits seat. However, under normal conditions, it is merely necessary to turn the hand wheel 33 in the lifting dlrection and this will automatically pump suillcient lubricant into the chamberxIS to overcome binding of the wedge in its seat. Thereupon further turning of the hand wheel 33 will cause the wedge to rise and with the wedgev the pump will be raised clear of the cam. When the cam is thus cleared, the plungers 49 will all be in their lowermost position and lubricant will then be forced out of the reser-voir 38 into the working chambers of the pump by the pressure of the spring 45. Thus, the working chamber will be filled and will be ready to be operated as soon as the gate valve is closed. Upon closing the valve the pump will descend with the gate and by the time the gate reaches its seat the pump plungers will strike the cam swells 34a and pump lubricant into the chamber I6 to replenish any lubricant that might have been lost while the valve was open, and also, after the valve is closed, will force sufficient lubricant between the seating surfaces to effect a tight seal.

Fig. 4 shows the successive positions of onev of the plunger heads 53' while the hand wheel is turning through 480 degrees. As the pump is carried downward with thev stem. each plunger head 53 will be given a slight upward throw by the rst cam. swell it encounters and will then be given a bigger throw by the next and so on until the hand wheel has made a rotation and a third by `which time the plunger head 53 will have reached the bottom of the depression between the swells of the cam. Obviously, the particular form of the cam may be varied at will and under certain conditions it may be necessary to providefor cam operation of the pump during more or less thana one and a third turns of the hand wheel. Therefore, we do not wish to limit our invention to the particular cam construction shown. We would point out, however, that the play of the head I9 with respect to the wedge I5 and of the nut in its support, -asl well as the back lash between the threads of the stem I8 and those of the nut 30, provide suillcient play to permit of operating the pump plungers without moving the wedge I6. However, once, the 'Valve has left its`seat the pump is raised clear' fact that it is formed with an internally-threaded sleeve extension 6U into which the lower end of a hollow valve stern I 8a is screwed. a set screw 6I serving to lock the stem to the gate. The stem I8a is substantially like thestem I3but it contains no inner flexible tube y,22. Instead, lu-

bricant is pumped directly through the hollow stem into the lubricant chamber in the gate. A1- though this construction provides a. rigid connec-` tion between the gate and the stem, yet we have found that there is enough ilexibility in the parts to permit of seating the gate properly against the seat rings I4.

While we have described certain embodiments of our invention, we wish it to be understood that y 2,080,725 ythe invention is not limited to a gate valve nor is it limited to the particular detailsfof construction described and that we' reserve the right to make such changes or modification n form,

structure and general arrangement as fall withing the spirit and scope of-the following cial We claim:

l. A valve comprising a body formed with a fluid passage therethrough, a closure member operable to open and close said passage, a pump for forcing lubricant between the closure memberand the' body, and a connection between the pump and lthe closure member whereby the pump is operable only when the closure memberA is in substantially closed position. 9

2. A valve comprising a body member formed with a uid passage therethrough, a closure member, means for causing relative movement of said members to open and close said passage, a pump connected toone of said members, and a pump operating element connected to the other of said members, said element and pump being so relatively located as to be brought into operative engagement only when the closure member is in substantially-closed position.

3. A valve' comprising a body member formed with a fluid passage therethrough, a closure member, means for causing relative movement 'of said members'toopen and close said passage, a pump connected to one of said members, and a pump operating element .connected to the other of said members and driven by said means, saidelement and said pump being so located as to be brought into operative engagement only when the closure member is in substantially closed position.

4. A gate valve comprising a gate, a casing formed with a seat for the gate, mechanismv for moving the gate toward and from its seat, a pump actuated by said mechanism for operating said pump only when the gate is substantially in en gagement with said seat.

5. A gate valve comprising a gate, a casing formed'with a seat for the gate, mechanism for moving the gate toward and' from its seat, means for forcing lubricant t'o said seat; and`a cam actuated by said mechanism for operating said means only when the gate is substantially in engagement with said seat.'

6. Agate valve comprising a gate, a casing formed with a seat for the gate, mechanism for moving the gate toward and from its seat, means for forcing. lubricant to said'seat, :and a vcam actuated by said mechanism for operating said means only whenv the gate is substantially in engagement with saidseat, said mechanism including a lost motion connection to the gate whereby said .means may be operated without operating the gate.

"I, A gate valve comprising a casing formed with a uid passage therethrough, a gate, a device mounted on the casing for raising and lowering the gate to open and close the passage, a

pump for pumping -lubricant to a seating sur.

face of the gate, and a cam on said device for operating said pump, the latter being connected erating the gate.

pump, the latter being connected to the gate in such location as to engage the cam only when the gate is substantially closed.

`9. A gate valve comprising a gate, a body formed with a seat for the gate, a member connected to the gate, another member carried .by the body, means for causing-relative motion of said members to raise and lower the gate, a pump adapted to force lubricant between the gate and its seat, said pump being carried by one of said members, and a cam carried by the other member kfor operating the pumpfthe pump and the cam being so located as to Vbe brought into operative engagement during a limited part of the relative movement of said members.

10. A gate valve comprising a body -formed wlth'a iluld passage therethrough, a gate controlling said passage, a non-rotary stem connected to the gate, a nut threaded on the stem and mounted to rotate in the body, means for rotating the nut to open and closethe gate, a cam driven by saidl means,v,a'nd a pump having a plunger reciprocableby the cam to force lubricant to a seating surface of the gate. the pump being mounted on the stem in such, location as' to be broughtinto operative engagement with the cam when the gate is in substantially closed position.

111. A gate valve comprising abody formed with a uid passage therethrough, a gate controlling cam to force lubricant toA a seating surface of the gate, the pump being-mounted on the stem in such location as to be brought into operative engagement with the camV when the gate is' in substantially closed position, and means for adjusting the location of the pump on the stem.

12. A gate valve comprising a body formed with fluid passage therethrough, a gate controlling the passage, a` non-rotaryv stem connected to the gate, a nut threaded on the stem and mounted to rotate in the body, means for rotating the nut to open and close the gate, a face cam on the nut and a pump for forcing lubricant to a seating surface of the gate, said Apump comprising a springpressed plunger adapted to be reciprocated by the fcam, the pump being mounted on the stem in such location as to be brought into operative engagement with the cam when the gate is in substantiall'ylclosed position,`and the stem having lost motionV connection permitting limited operation whereby the pump may be operated without op- 13. A gate valve comprising a body formed with a iluid passage therethrough, a gate operable in the body to open and close said passage, a nonrotary stem connected to the gate, a nut threaded.

on the stem and mounted to vrotate in the body,

Vmeans 'for rotating the nut, a face cam driven by said means, a reservoir for lubricant, a pump, the reservoir and pump being mounted upon the stem, a conduitjeading from the pump to a seating surface of the gate, said pump including a plunger operable by engagement with the cam to pump lubricant from the reservoir into said conduit, the pump being so located as to bev brought into operative engagement with the cam when the gate is in substantially closed position.

v14. A gate valve comprising a body formed with a iluid passage therethrough, a gate operable in the body to open and clgse said passage, a non- 75 rotary stem connected to the gate, a nut threaded on the stem and mounted to rotate in the body, means for rotating the nut, a face cam driven by said means, a reservoirfor lubricant, a pump, the-reservoir and pump being mounted upon the stem, a conduit leading fom the pump to a seating surface of the gate, said pump including a plurality of spring-'pressed plungers reciprocable by engagement with the cam to pump lubricant from the reservoir into said conduit, the pump being so located as to be broughtinto ,operative engagement with the cam when the tially closed position.

15. A gate valve comprising abody formed with gate is inV substana fluid passage therethrough, a gate operable in the body to open and close the pwsage, the gate being formed with a lubricant chamber and ducts 4 leading therefrom to a seating surface of the gate, a hollow stem iixed to. the gate 'and communicating with said chamber, a nut threaded on the stem and mounted to rotate in the body, means for rotating the nut to open and close the gate, a ycam on the nut, a pump having a plunger reciprocable by the lcam to forcelubricant through the stem into the chamber, the pump being mounted on the stem in such location as to be brought into operative engagement with the cam when the gate is in substantially closed position.

16. A valve provided -with a valve housing having a tapered valve seat, a tapered valve member movable on said seat, a valve stem secured to said valve member. and provided with a lubricant chamber adapted to communicate with said valve seat, an operating member whereby the valve is opened and closed, and means whereby lubricant is transmitted from'said lubricant chamber to said valve seat in response to movements of said valve stem and operating member.

17. A valve comprising a casing formed with a fluid passage therethrough, a closure element operable in the casing to open and close the passage, a stem member connected to the closure element,

an operating member having lost motion connection with'the stem and operable in one direction to move the closure element to close the passage and in the oppositedirection to open the passage, a pump and a lubricant reservoir carried by one -of the members, conduit means leading from the pump to convey lubricant therefrom to a point between the closure element and the casing, and means carried by the other of the members and adapted to operate the pump by relative movement of the members in either direction-to pump lubricant from the reservoir into said conduit means.

18. A valve comprising a casing formed with'a uid passage therethrough, a closure element operable in the casing to open and close the passage, a stem connected to the closure element, an operating member having lost motion connection with the stem and operable in one direction to move the closure element to close the passage and in the opposite direction to open the passage, a. pump `and a lubricant reservoir mounted on the stem, conduit means leading from the pump and adapted to convey lubricant therefrom to a point between the closure element and the casing, means carried by said operating member" and adapted to operate the pump by relative movement of the members in either direction to pump lubricant from the reservoir into said conduit 

